The present invention relates generally to devices for use in connection with training and exercising dogs. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a device that is configured to dispense treats to a pet in exchange for the pet depositing a retrieved object, such as a ball. In addition, the device allows a user to launch a retrieved ball without requiring a user to physically handle the ball.
It is well known in the art that many dogs are natural retrievers and that they enjoy repeatedly retrieving or fetching objects such as sticks or balls. In addition, many dog owners enjoy the opportunity to bond and/or play with their dog that is presented through the game of fetch. One of the difficulties, however, is that in playing fetch with a dog, the stick or ball must be repeatedly thrown at relatively long distances for prolonged periods of time. As a result of the repeated throwing, often the dog owner's back and arm tire before the animal is ready to rest. Additionally, another drawback to playing the game of fetch with a dog is the need to physically pick up and throw the ball using your hands. Typically, after a few throws, the ball is covered with dog saliva and a layer of accumulated dirt and debris, which can be distasteful and unhealthy to touch. Finally, it is often difficult to persuade the dog to drop the ball once it has been retrieved. In order to get the ball back from the dog, the owner must often place their hand into the dog's mouth and extract the ball, all the while enduring the ensuing wrestling match or worse, the risk of being accidentally bitten by the dog.
To assist in throwing the ball long distances with a minimum amount of exerted effort, some individuals have resorted to using bats, tennis rackets or other catapult devices for launching the ball great distances. While such devices may be helpful in reducing the fatigue associated with repeated throwing of the ball, these devices do not address the issue of holding the ball once it has become wet and dirty nor do they assist in persuading the dog to give up the ball after retrieving it.
In general, the ability to get the dog to drop the ball after it has been retrieved relates to proper training of the dog. When training animals, such as dogs, it is beneficial for trainers to reinforce specific behaviors and acts performed by the animal by offering positive reinforcement. For positive reinforcement to be most effective, it is necessary to provide such reward in an immediate and non-distracting manner. The immediacy is necessary in that it serves to maximize the training effect because an animal's ability to associate reward with specific acts is limited to a very short period of time (approximately three (3) seconds). This ability quickly deteriorates with the passage of time and can be adversely affected by distracting movements or sounds produced by the trainer obtaining and delivering the reward.
In this regard, several known methods of providing positive reinforcement are currently employed by trainers. For example, the reward can be carried in one's hand, one's pocket, a plastic or paper bag or a bait bag. Each of these methods, however, adversely affects the act/reward association time that is so crucial to effective training. Carrying rewards in the trainer's hand is distracting for the trainer and the animal in that the animal's attention is directed at the hand holding the reward. The difficulty with carrying rewards in one's pocket or a bag is that rewarding an animal requires the trainer to dig into his pocket, unzip or open the containment device causing harmful delay in the act/reward associate time thereby causing the animal to associate his reward with a noise such as a zipper opening, or Velcro® being pulled away or the resulting sound of a plastic or paper bag. Additionally, training an animal utilizing the disposable pocket requires the trainer to consciously count the quantity of rewards retrieved from the pocket and return any unwanted rewards before rewarding the animal, again increasing the act/reward association time. The disposable pocket may also be prone to falling off during prolonged training as the adhesive may lose its grip, or be prone to being knocked off by an exuberant animal, or inclement training conditions such as brush, high grass during field exercises. Likewise, devices such as bait bag with clip may also be prone to falling off the trainer when the trainer bends down and also in many of the same instances where the disposable pocket is likely to fall off.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that allows a user to pick up and throw a ball for a dog to fetch, while eliminating the need for the user to touch the ball with their hands. There is a further need for a device that enhances the user's ability to throw a ball for extended periods of time without tiring while also reducing or eliminating the need to physically touch the ball. There is still a further need for a device that facilitates proper training of the dog in a manner that positively reinforces the behavior of releasing the ball once it has been retrieved. There is yet a further need for a device that facilitates handling and throwing a ball repeatedly while also providing storage for dog treats and the ability to provide positive reinforcement to the dog for releasing the ball all within a convenient and easy to use package.